Move over, dills: there’s a new pickle in town

Move over, dills: there’s a new pickle in town!

Maille’s new Gherkins with Caramelized Onions set to refine Canadian palates.

TORONTO—Save the dills for your smoke meat sandwiches and infuse elegance and flavor into your next meal by serving new Maille Gherkins with Caramelized Onions.

The newest member of the La Maison Maille family expands upon the brand’s classic Cornichons Extra Fins with the flavorful addition of caramelized onions, resulting in an innovative product that will please the most discerning palates.

Not Just for the Condiment Tray
French gherkins or cornichons are smaller and crunchier than dill pickles with a characteristic acidity that lends them their unique, slightly sour taste (as opposed to the candy-sweet taste of North American gherkins).

More refined than pickles, gherkins have traditionally been reserved for relish trays, and as a condiment accompanying charcuterie boards and cheese plates, but the way people enjoy them is changing. Consumers are upping the ante of their everyday meals by incorporating the bite-size pickles with French flair into salads, cocktails and tapas, chopping them into tartare and Cuban sandwiches, or eating them alone as a savory, low calorie snack-on-the-go.

“Maille has set the standard for classic cornichons for over 50 years,” explains Marie-Eve Brunet, brand manager for Maille Canada at ID Foods Corporation located in west-end Toronto (and one of Canada’s largest imported specialty and natural food companies). “Our new caramelized onion flavor reflects the change in the way people are now eating gherkins. The unique flavor combination offers new variety for those who regularly enjoy cornichons and it opens up a new realm of possibilities in the kitchen.”

The Making of Maille Cornichons
The new flavored variety is a twist on the brand’s reputable, 50 year old recipe for classic French cornichons and, like all Maille products, it benefits from the company’s 268 year heritage of quality craftsmanship.

Because they can double in size in less than 12 hours, the cucumbers used to make Maille cornichons are monitored closely and picked when the concentration of flavor is at its peak. Once harvested, the miniature cucumbers are immediately placed in vinegar to preserve their freshness and their signature crunch until they are bottled and combined with either white or white balsamic vinegar (depending on the variety), mustard seeds, fresh herbs, and in this case, sweet, caramelized onions. Each bottle is then aged for three weeks before it is shipped to stores.

The Maille Gherkin range includes two classic recipes: Original Crunchy Gherkins and Crunchy Mild Gherkins.

Both feature the brand’s exclusive lifting tray (le tire-cornichon – in the photo at the top, you can see the green pickle lifter inside the jar at the bottom of the label), that lifts the cornichons up, out of the brine for easy access, eliminating the need for spear fishing, or worse, sticking your fingers in the jar.

Rounding out Maille’s cornichon offering is the new Malossol, a full size, Russian-style cornichon infused with tarragon flavored mustard seeds; perfect with pâtés or alongside gruyère.

Maille Gherkins with Caramelized Onions will be available in supermarkets for $6.49 for  400mL jar.

About La Maison Maille
With 268 years of expertise, La Maison Maille sets the standard for Dijon mustard and is an ambassador of French culinary refinement around the world. Established by Antoine-Claude Maille in 1747, the house of Maille was the official supplier to the Kings of France and many European Royal Courts. Today, Maille is the leading premium producer of mustard, vinegar and French cornichons in France. It is the attention to detail that sets La Maison Maille apart – the carefully selected ingredients, the nuances of the recipes, the expertise in the methods used and the elegant black and gold packaging. The Maille product range includes Dijon Originale, A L’Ancienne Old Style, Au Miel Honey Dijon, and Raifort Horseradish mustard, as well as flavorful vinegars and Maille Cornichons. Maille is available at select gourmet grocery stores and supermarkets across Canada. For more information on Maille, visit www.maille.ca.

And, because Canadian Packaging cares:
Classic “tartare” sauce traditionally uses French cornichons. Mix up a batch to serve alongside a fish main to wow guests at your next dinner party!

Classic Tartare Sauce
A recipe from Montreal’s Atelier & Saveurs

Ingredients:

• 2 egg yolks;
• 50 ml Maille Dijon Original mustard
• 300 ml canola oil
• 8 finely chopped Maille Gherkins with Caramelized Onions
• 1 finely chopped French shallot
• 6 strands of chive
• 1 branch of tarragon
• 15 ml Maille Sherry Vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Chop and combine the herbs, shallot and gherkins. To make the mayonnaise, blend the egg and Dijon mustard in a food processor or blender for 15 seconds. With the motor running, gradually add the oil in a very slow stream until the mixture emulsifies. Once at the desired consistency, add the vinegar and whisk for a few more seconds. Season with salt and pepper and add the herbs to the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before serving. This classic tartare sauce can accompany a multitude of hot or cold dishes including fish, potatoes and meat. Serve it as a dip with in season veggies.